Section 4 – mm 389-340
We headed back to the Blue Ridge Parkway
with our trailer. Clouds still lingered as we started our day.
We stopped at Craggy Gardens
and met 2 bicyclists about our age who were adjusting a cable. Bill lent them a
tool and learned they were biking from Asheville
to the top of Mt Mitchell!
Our first hike was to Craggy
Pinnacle. Barbara liked the description: the trail “offers the most exceptional
views for the least amount of walking.” The .7-mile trail climbs up to a 360⁰
view at the top.
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our trekking poles at the
summit
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Blue Ridge Parkway viewed from Craggy Pinnacle
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Next we stopped at Mt
Mitchell State Park and drove up the mountain. In the parking lot at the top,
we saw the 2 bicyclists. Bill had to shake their hand and congratulate them.
That’s over a 50 mile round-trip and 4,000 feet of climb!
The mountain is named after
Rev Elisha Mitchell D.D., a university professor who lost his life while trying
to prove that this was the highest point east of the Mississippi. The popular notion at the time
was that Clingmans Dome was higher, but
Mitchell surpasses it by 40ft.
Like Clingmans
Dome there is a paved steep trail to an observation deck at the
summit.
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Bill on observation deck at
Mt Mitchell
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This North Carolina map and marker are imbedded
in the floor of the observation deck.
It wasn’t the clearest day,
but 5 inches of snow was forecast, which might close the mountain and this
section of the Blue Ridge Parkway
tomorrow!
We continued along the
parkway camping at Crabtree
Falls – one of the
campgrounds on the Blue Ridge
Parkway. We knew rain was imminent, but decided to
don our rain gear and take the 2.5-mile moderate to strenuous loop trail down
to Crabtree Falls. In addition to the steep climb we
had to negotiate areas where the trail became a stream, but it was well worth
it, as the falls were beautiful.
“Is that spray from the
falls or rain?” Bill asked while we were looking at the falls. As it turned out
it was rain, but we were prepared so happily hiked back up in the rain. We met
a guy and his dog who were hanging out under an overhang waiting for the rain
to break. Bill offered a Ziploc bag for his camera or to return with a poncho,
but the guy said he’d be okay. It was nice to get back to our dry trailer.
Campground: Crabtree Falls Campground
Blue Ridge Parkway miles traveled: 49 miles today
